The name of the main band of survivors shown in the series, the 2nd Massachusetts, is taken from a real regiment of soldiers that fought in both the American Revolution and the Civil War.
The screeching sound of the skitters when they run is the same sound effect used for the raptors in The Jurassic Park films.
In the beginning, falling skies was to be called Concord. It was in this title that Steven Spielberg and Robert Rodat developed the series aired in the United States on the TNT channel. It refers to the battles of Concord and Lexington, which occurred during the American Revolution. It was Steven Spielberg himself who proposed a change of title. This seemed to him to be more in tune with the post-apocalyptic spirit of the project.
Cochise, the name Tom uses for his Volm ally, is the name of a notable Apache leader.
Noah Wyle plays Drew Roy's father even though he is only 15 years older than him.